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Should a gingerbread man become a gingerbread person?

Gingerbread men are replaced by gingerbread persons in Scottish Parliament

We can no longer buy ‘Mansize’ tissues from Kleenex, and now gingerbread men have been banned at the Scottish Parliament in a bid to reduce sexism.

The tasty treats have been replaced by ‘gingerbread persons’ amid fears that the traditional name caused offence.

The Scottish Parliament’s coffee shop made the change as part of a drive at Holyrood to cut out sexism.

By making names gender-neutral, the parliament hopes to foster a more inclusive working environment for female and non-binary staff. This approach is increasingly popular within progressive institutions across the country.

But the decision to rename the sweet treat has not gone down well with everyone.

Even gingerbread men will tell you it’s not offensive to be a man – so why are some trying to force them to become just people? The only way to tell if they even have clothes on is the icing and, without that, the gender of a naked gingerbread man is unidentifiable.

What are your views? Are you offended by a gingerbread man? What is the implication now for the Ladybird story of the Gingerbread Boy? Should gender neutrality be the way to go?

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